Teaching Resouces

Back

TEACHING RESOURCES
on conscientious objection and related issues

The resource packs below are intended for teachers, activity leaders and others, and provide a collection of topics, questions and copies of primary archive material. Each section contains a teacher’s guide, suggested work and - most importantly - a selection of archive extracts for use with, or without, the worksheet guidance.

Each pack investigates a critical issue on Conscientious Objection and Anti-War activism, from individual experiences to censorship, protest and propaganda. Working through the packs will allow learners to build up a good understanding of First World War anti-war activity as well as encouraging key learning skills in critical thinking, interpretation and evaluation.

The worksheets are flexible enough to be used across the National Curriculum and explore a range of issues designed to explore concepts of war and peace. Learners will work with primary material with a range of options for closely guided or independent learning.
At the moment these resources pages are a work in progress and more material will be produced as the project continues.

We want to hear from you:
We are very keen to develop this section into a wider resource, highlighting both important issues that arise from Conscientious Objection in the First World War and interesting ways of working on material from the PPU’s extensive archive. Ideas and resources from excellent teachers, learning practitioners and museum and archive staff will be developed into a wide variety of exciting resources for the class room, lecture theatre or in other settings with young (and older!) learners.

If you have material you’d like to share with us, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch.



Trials and Tribulations is the first worksheet looking at an individual Conscientious Objector, Carl Titford. Carl spent much of the war in prison for refusing to be a soldier. Investigate why Carl became a Conscientious Objector, and what would happen to him afterwards as a result of his brave decision. Trials and Tribulation Worksheet pdf Trials and Tribulations Teacher's notes Trials and Tribulations Sources	Discover what happened to Walter Hohnrodt, a CO from North London when he decided to say “no” to war. Investigate the way British people treated Germans living in the country, and take a look at some of Walter’s letters written from the inside of Wormwood Scrubs prison. Walter Hohnrodt Worksheet Walter Hohnrodt Teacher's notes Walter Hohnrodt Sources

‘Repeal the Act' ooks at censorship and protest during the war. Learn about how and why writing a leaflet could lead to prison and investigate the meaning of censorship in wartime with original material from court cases and newspaper reports. Repeal the Act Worksheet pdf Repeal the Act Teacher's Notes Repeat the Act Sources	The Tribunal looks at the exciting story of an illegal and underground newspaper published from 1916-1920. The worksheet investigates censorship, protest and pacifism through the articles, design and even fonts used in the weekly paper “The Tribunal”. The Tribunal Worksheet pdf The Tribunal Teacher's Notes The Tribunal Sources
We welcome your comments and suggestions

UNDERSTANDING war memorials. Comng soon.	Selection of poetry of peace and war. Includes background infomation and sugestion for study.

Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances can show us that even in the darkest of times it is possible to resist the call to war.
Refusing to Kill tells the stories of men who in the First World War resisted the propaganda, the peer pressure and the full and sometimes brutal force of the state and refused to take part in war: the killing of strangers - of men like themselves.
Ideal for use in class with a range of supplementary teaching and study notes.
BUY - contact us | Study notes

A teacher's story
“We the parents and guardians of children of the parish of Keiss resolve that Mr McClements shall not be again allowed to teach in Keiss Public School as he is a conscientious objector.”

Read the story, use the resource.
Currently we have over 300 COs listed as teachers.

Series of posters that provide a quick visual snapshot of the conscientious objector's experience in the 1914-19 war. They can be followed by more detailed material.

Supported by

Support our work